


The Visit

by Shatterpath



Series: First and Third [4]
Category: Agent Carter (TV), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Gen, Little Brothers, Meet the Family, Pre-Femslash, Sassy, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-05
Updated: 2015-04-05
Packaged: 2018-03-21 09:02:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,636
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3686289
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shatterpath/pseuds/Shatterpath
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There is no more putting off meeting the Martinelli clan!</p><p>Picks up some time after 'Broadway's Callin'</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Visit

**Author's Note:**

> Please forgive me for the pure crack that is Astaire. I have no idea where he came from, but was too funny to pass up, I blame Ayrki and our conversations that Angie would collect strays of all shapes and sizes. Charlie is also all her fault, though I'll shoulder Mom and the boys! My apologies if the description of Angie's outfit is historically inaccurate, for I don't know clothing for nothin'! 
> 
> (More IM funnies, this one from 3-23-15, after the 'barkeep' exchange)  
> ayrki: God she IS feisty tonight!  
> me: I seem to have channeled the River Sass with this pair, yes. Such are the trials and tributaries.
> 
> Oh, and Peggy's teasing Angie's little brother with the Churchill thing-- you'll know it when you get there-- paralyzes me with giggles every damn time I reread.

While there were times Peggy wanted to strangle the boys for wandering off topic, the shenanigans went far to keep her from becoming truly homicidal. Particularly when, for the millionth time, Howard whined and pleaded until Sousa did his now practiced imitation of Thompson's femme-fatale shriek when faced with the alligator in the sewers all those weeks ago. Like the bad little boy he truly was, Howard howled with laughter, falling to his side on the couch and gasping for mercy. Daniel looked as pleased and fondly exasperated as he always did, cracking Peggy's smile loose at last. Despite the vaudeville routine getting old, it really was funny.

With the flow of ideas and stress temporary disrupted yet again by Howard, Peggy took the hint to stretch like a cat and climb to her feet, marveling at the dizzy lightheadedness that accompanied the move. "Oh. I believe we've been sitting for too long. Do take the mongrel out for a short walk, won't you, Daniel?"

"Hey!" Howard protested with more chuckling but obeyed Daniel's swat to get moving.

"Hilarious, Stark. Astaire! Come!"

Astaire, as Angie had named the vile little thing, was nothing like the famous Hollywood singer/dancer/actor. Awkward and ugly, he was a wiry, bow-legged mess, exactly as he had been when Angie dragged him home, wreathed in smiles, not two days after they had somberly christened the SHIELD project. At least he smelled better once Peggy had scrubbed out his bottle-brush whitish fur and absurdly huge ears. Dancing about like a rickety little table, Astaire looked up at his other human with those great, bulbous dark eyes and Peggy sighed and paused in pouring herself a stiff drink. 

"I cannot fathom why you like me," she said wryly and leaned over to pat the surprisingly soft fur to placate the dog. "Good boy. Go to Daniel."

With his cough-like bark, the dog did as he was told, following the two men into the backyard for some air. Perhaps as a result of being a stray, Astaire refused to leave the house without a human in tow. Peggy was not looking forward to the coming winter. Ah well, at least she had company while Angie was still busy with that awful play. Really, did that Carver caricature have to be so… so… 

Flustered, Peggy drank deeply of the spiked lemonade and sighed wearily. When she had been caught up in the madness of creating a federal agency to fill in the gaps left by all the others, she knew it would be her life's work and the most difficult thing she would ever do. The reality of it was all that and so much more. Paperwork had taken over the bulk of the vast living room and she was quite certain that Daniel slept on the couch more often than his own apartment. If not for Jarvis, Howard would probably be doing the same. Yes, there were five-- technically four-- empty beds in the house, but the men sleeping in one of them would be crossing some unspoken line of decency or the like. 

"God, where the hell is Jarvis?" Howard complained as he stepped in from the yard, stretching out his back with a groan. "I'm dead on my feet. We gotta take a few days off, Peg, I'm gettin' old before my time."

Before she could reply, Astaire raced through the living room, bouncing in his excitement and cough-yapping like a crazy thing.

"Lady of the house must be home," Howard chuckled as the dog carried on, scratching at the fine wooden door down the hall. Shaking her head at the fallacies of males, Peggy stepped into the kitchen for ice and expertly whipped up a nice, chilly Cosmopolitan for the new arrival. Sure enough, the front door made its familiar noise and Angie's voice rang out.

"There's my little prince! Hi baby boy!"

A moment later, the lady in question framed herself in the doublewide doorway with perfect Hollywood flair. She was stunning in a flimsy, flowing dress that faded from dark blue at the knee to nearly white at the décolletage and the white peekaboo pumps accented the look perfectly. It hadn't taken much persuading to start taking advantage of Howard's bank account to start getting her wardrobe up to snuff.

"I have an announcement!"

Said announcement stalled out when the fiery blue eyes fell on the drink in Peggy's hand and Angie swept over to pounce on it.

"You're a goddess, English."

Fighting the urge to mockingly check to see if all of her fingers were still attached, Peggy smirked and drawled wryly, "I do try."

Wracked with dramatic weariness, Angie toddled off to the least cluttered of the couches and flopped all over it. When Daniel stepped in, his amusement echoed his friends. With half the Cosmopolitan gone, Angie smacked her lips appreciatively and let out a great gust of a sigh. "That hit the spot, thanks."

As it was now a nightly ritual, Peggy nodded acknowledgement and Angie gathered her thoughts.

"I bowed out tonight. Gave the part to Gail and walked out."

The others were stunned, three pairs of eyes flickering over to where Jarvis had trailed in after his dramatic charge. "I assure you that I had nothing to do with the night's unexpected finale. Though I cannot say I have any complaints about returning to a daylight existence."

"You've been a good sport, Fancy, thank you. Bring Anna by if you ever need an afternoon's entertainment, huh? I sing, I dance, I cause delightful chaos in my wake."

It was obvious she was irritated beneath the lightheartedness and sass, so Peggy silently went for more ice and mixed a weaker drink.

"Sick of the bright lights already?" Howard asked with the mix of sarcasm and thoughtfulness only he could master.

"Naw, it's just… Look, the play is lousy and we all know it, and it wasn't a good fit, but'll look great on a resume. But more'n that-- thanks Pegs, you really are the best-- I wanna be more a part of this."

After handing off the fresh drink, Peggy again nodded acknowledgement to the thank you and sat next to her best friend. "You've always been a part of this, an integral one, but I understand what you mean."

Sipping at the icy concoction, Angie flashed a dirty look. "You watering down the booze, barkeep? I'm gonna talk to your manager."

"I'll have the mirrors cleaned for you, boss."

"Smartass."

The affection between them was a constant in all of their lives, like an anchor in a storm. Even the menfolk relied on it to keep them sane, no matter their being tertiary to its core in the two women. In unspoken agreement, the gang spoke lightheartedly about inconsequential things while Howard gathered his things so that Jarvis could get home to his long-suffering wife. A mention from Daniel about visiting family finally brought Angie's distracted mind around.

"That reminds me, no more excuses, Carter. Maternal disappointment was one of the factors in tonight's dramatics. Monday, come hell, high water, or gunfire, we're on call for the Labor Day festivities."

Part of Peggy had hoped to put off the inevitable for some indefinite time, for her very real fear of endangering her intimates never left her. But arm's length had never worked with this minx and she found herself nodding almost grimly.

"And you're all invited along. Don't sweat numbers, the more the merrier, trust me. Labor Day is a whole neighborhood thing. We'll be disappointed if we don't clog the streets to the point of stopping traffic. Just no fancy cars or suits, fellas, trust me. I still need to get the boss here to shut off her inner G-woman for a day too."

Peggy jumped at the invasion of dexterous toes into the soft bands between her ribs, having not even noticed Angie invade her space. 

And wasn't that always how it was?

~ * ~ * ~

Loosening his tie and shedding his jacket, Charlie was happy to be rid of the worst of his Sunday finery. Setting out the percolator on the stove, he fired up the stove, desperate for a good, strong cup of coffee before the day took over the entire family. Well, he hoped for the entire family. He hadn't seen his baby girl since the opening night of her big break where she had been as luminous as the angels she was named after. Shame her friend had been absent, for he was curious not so much from Angelica's adoration, but that Stella had liked the Englishwoman so much. His _Cuore Mio_ was not the sentimental sort, nor easily flattered.

Sighing happily, Charlie indulged in the scalding burn of fresh coffee and soaked up the foreign quiet of the apartment that had been the only home he could remember. Italy was a distant boyhood nightmare left behind for the brighter promise of America. But the quiet was not to last, nor would he want it any other way, keys rattling in the lock and the hinges squeaking.

"Ah, _Cara Mia_ , Mrs. Anderson kept you so long!"

His wife's beautiful smile and his own blue gaze came into view and the man lit up with even greater delight as his only daughter beamed adoringly at him. "No, I've been spared that dread fate for now."

"Angie! My _Bambolina_ , how I've missed you!"

A slip of a thing his daughter might be, but she still hugged like a longshoreman, her whole body behind the embrace.

"I've missed you too, _Babbo_. Come meet my friend!"

Darkly mysterious and strikingly featured with a figure from the paintings of the great Italian masters, the stranger left Charlie smitten. Her smirk deepened as Angie leaned close to stage-whisper, "I know she's gorgeous, Pops, but behave."

Recoiling in mock outrage, he gestured expansively and clutched at his heart. "You wound me, Angelica! To bring such a lovely creature to my doorstep and deny me my very nature!"

When the woman spoke, the smooth lilt of her speech was far more foreign than her European good looks. "I see location does not change the character of the Italian man," Peggy said wryly, her smile winning as the Martinellis laughed in delight.

With formal introductions, Charlie gained her name and was delighted at a surprisingly powerful handshake that matched the frank, perceptive gaze. No shrinking violet, this one! Further conversation was interrupted by the arrival of the rest of the family, Stella lighting up with delight as she stepped in, heavily laden with cloth sacks. "Angie! I'm so glad to see you, and you brought Peggy along, wonderful. Take these, child, we have so much to do!"

A long suffering look made Peggy stifle a chuckle that would have been a giggle on someone with a less dignified bearing… or a lower voice. 

It was a good half hour of barely controlled chaos where the stranger was ignored for the sake of expediency, before Peggy finally verbally responded. Angie dissolved into hysterics at the look on Gabe's face, echoed less noticeably in Vince, the eldest.

"Huh, we really thought you were makin' it up, Ang. Then again, we thought you were makin' her up, period," Vince commented and expertly dodged a smack to the head from their mother.

"Where is that wife of yours to keep you in line?"

Every inch full of the same mock outrage shown by her father earlier, Angie waved around flour-covered hands and glared affectionately at her siblings. "I toldja, English! My brother are idiots! They think anything outside of New York and maybe Jersey is a foreign land. They're probably think you're from Mars."

The dirty look from both boys carried the feel of rude gestures not dared given life under the eagle eye of their mother. Peggy got the feeling Angie wanted to stick her tongue at them, but knew she too was in range of a smack.

"Ya sound like that guy from the radio, always talkin' through his nose," Gabe muttered, typically torn between teenage sulking and poorly-disguised curiosity.

Dramatically clearing her throat in the sudden, uncharacteristic quiet, Peggy spoke up in a surprisingly decent imitation of Winston Churchill's ponderous tones, her voice even lower than normal. "We have not journeyed across the centuries, across the oceans, across the mountains, across the prairies, because we are made of sugar candy."

Gabe lit up with a rare smile. "Hey, you're pretty good."

"That's kind of you to say, but I could be better," she said with grave seriousness, back to using her normal voice and Angie's smile grew in gleeful anticipation. "You see, it's a matter of national pride to be able to imitate Winston Churchill. Unfortunately, mine was inadequate and I was banished here."

For a long moment, Gabe's hazel eyes went wide, before Peggy's slow smile made him blush and scuff a shoe on the worn linoleum. "Yeah, yer Angie's friend all right."

The laughter was deafening.

~ * ~ * ~

Gabe escaped the worst of the last minute preparations as he seemed completely taken with Peggy, talking animatedly with her in complete contradiction of his usual sulky teenage ennui. Patient and engaged-- as well as fortified with a mildly spiked lemonade-- Peggy encouraged him to talk about school and cars and whatever came to his mind; in turn, trading him a few war stories and tales about jolly ole England. Eventually though, her composure was rattled when he guilelessly asked how she'd ended up in New York, adding a mock stern look. 

"The truth this time. Though the banished story was pretty funny."

Maybe it was the smile he shared with Angie or the way he looked so sorry at the way her face fell into old pains. "His name was Steve. I lost him to a plane crash not long before VE-Day, but needed to see his city even if it wasn't by his side. And I fell in love with New York, just as he knew I would."

"Jeez, I'm sorry, Peggy," Gabe said with more grown up empathy than his sister was used to and shot his relatives a helpless look. Stella took over, bustling over with baskets of goodies and brusque orders to head for the street to join the festivities gearing up in the summer heat. By the time Angie managed to fill a plate fit to feed the whole Howling Commandos and slip away from her mother and the other local matriarchs, it felt like days later. Eventually, she found Peggy seated on 113's stoop, idly watching the crowd from the scant shade there.

"Hey, English," she greeted fondly, soaking up the way the older woman instantly relaxed and lit up with happiness at her presence. "Hungry?"

"Desperately. Come join me, I managed to find the best seat in the house."

"I see that. Scoot."

In a companionable quiet, they sated simple physical hunger with goodies from three continents and people watched.

"Sorry Gabe reminded you of Steve," Angie finally said, instantly wincing at her bluntness. With a small smile, Peggy bumped shoulders with her.

"It's quite all right, Angie. Having the chance to let that part of my past go has made all the difference in the world. And I have finally had a chance to spend some time in Brooklyn. Thank you for this."

Grinning and blushing, Angie bumped Peggy back and the women both chuckled. "Sweet talker. Oh, brace yourself, here comes my _babbo_ and he's lookin' friendly."

"Positively magnanimous," Peggy drawled and they giggled like naughty children and found smiles for Charlie, arms thrown wide and eyes bright.

"There you are, _Bella Mias_! Come, join the family!"

There was no thought to hesitate taking Angie's offered hand and Peggy was drawn away to be included as part of a new family.


End file.
